Microencapsulation of isolated pituitary cells by polyacrylamide microlatex coagulation on agarose beads

Microlatex beads of homogenous size were made by polymerization of a mixture of acrylamide/bisacrylamide dispersed in a microemulsion. The microlatex was aggregated by dilution of the microemulsion in acrylamide solutions. The aggregates were then coagulated by polymerization at the interfaces of agarose beads circulating in a capillary tube containing paraffin oil. Biocompatibility was tested on isolated pituitary cells microencapsulated by this procedure.